The 2018 Ao Yun Proprietary Blend is a remarkable red wine from Yunnan, China, notable for its unique composition and high-quality craftsmanship. This wine is produced by Ao Yun, and the blend consists of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot, 7% Syrah, and 4% Petit Verdot. With an alcohol content of 15.0%, it features a cork closure and is best described as a full-bodied red wine with a rich, complex profile.

James Suckling awarded the 2018 Ao Yun an impressive score of 98, praising its depth and complexity. He noted, "I love the depth and complexity of the nose, which brings you down deeply into the wine, showing blackberry, ink, tar, earth, incense, cloves, and black licorice. Thyme, too." Suckling highlighted the wine's purity of fruit, particularly cassis, and described it as "the real thing." He emphasized the fine and integrated tannins, likening them to a "millefeuille-like layering of tannin and cool, blue fruit." Suckling concluded by calling it "the greatest wine made in China so far," and recommended that it will be better with a few more years of aging.

Decanter also provided a high score of 95, noting the wine's impactful nature. The reviewer described the 2018 Ao Yun as having "a ton of damson and black cherry fruits, with fragrant and fresh citrus peel and sage alongside earthier smoked cumin spice." They appreciated the polished, smooth, and ripe tannins, which exhibit significant movement despite the wine's young structure. Decanter remarked that the wine stands confidently on its own and is "exceptionally unusual."

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate also rated the wine at 95, commenting on the consistency in quality across bottles tasted at different altitudes. This consistency speaks well for the wine's overall quality and future development. The reviewer did not provide specific tasting notes but emphasized the wine's promising potential.

Overall, the 2018 Ao Yun Proprietary Blend is a distinguished wine that has garnered high praise from experts for its depth, complexity, and future potential. It is a testament to the quality of winemaking emerging from China, particularly in the Yunnan region.